Car-coupling



(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. D. V'AGNIER.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 439,448. Patented Oct. 28, 1890.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. D. VAGNIER.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 439,448. PatentedOot. 28.1890.

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awum-to'c wihmwco UNrTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVARD D. VAGNIER, OF OLEARPORT, OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,448, dated October 28, 1890.

Application filed September 4, 1890. Serial No. 363,922. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD D. VAGNIER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Clearport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to cal-couplings; and it consists in the improvements hereinafter described and set forth, whereby an efficient and positively-operating device is provided.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l is a front view of the lower end portion of a car having my coupling applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 isa central vertical sectional view. Fig. 4 is a plan view. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the catch-frame, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the link.

The draw-head A is secured under the end portion B of the car and contains the coupling-chamber a, at the front and at the right side of which is a vertical flange I), while the left side of the head is provided with front and rear vertical loops 0. Upon the upper side of the head are two vertical parallel guides d d, the left one of which has a vertical loop The inner adjacent faces of these guides cl d are provided with vertical grooves e e, forming front and rear guideways, in the rear one of which plays a block O, having a coupling pin f, which plays through an opening in the top of the drawhead. This block 0 has front and rear flanges c 0 which when the pin is down, as shown in Fig. 3, rest upon the top of the draw-head. A vertical plate D plays in the front guideway and carries at its lower end a rearwardlyextending shoulder g, which is located beneath the front flange of the block. A bentcatch-spring h is secured upon the front side of the plate D to form a springshoulder 11, which increases in width toward the bottom.

A catch-plate E is of the form shown most clearly in Fig. 5, and comprises a rectangular portion j, one side of which is downwardly extended for the connection therewith of a horizontal rod is, movably seated in the loops on the left side of the draw-head, the forward projecting end carrying a buffer Z. The rectangular portion j is provided with a forwardly-extending arm m, seated in the upper loop and carrying in front of the vertical guides a transverse horizontal block n, said block being located to form a rest for the spring-shoulder i and prevent the cars coupling when brought together.

The plate D is provided at the right side and near its lower end with a pin 0, which extends through a vertical slot in the right vertical guide, and to said pin is attached a chain 29, also connected with a segment q, secured on a shaft F, bearing on the end of the car and provided with operating-crank F. The chamber in the draw-head is provided with transverse horizontal plates or partitions G, arranged one above the other and vertically perforated for the passage of the coupling-pin.

The coupling-link H is of the form shown in Fig. 6, and consists of an open-link portion 1*, having a longitudinal extension 5, reduced at its end to present a tongue i, adjacent to which is a vertical perforation u for the passage of the coupling-pin. On the under side are two parallel lugs 12, which bear upon one of the partitions when the link is in the chamber and support it in proper position.

A vertical rod I extends through the rear part of the coupling-chamber and supports a vertical block J by means of a projection on said block entering the rod. Coiled springs to embrace the rod I in order that the block may always be normally centered independent of any adjustment it may receive from the rod. The block J may have guides on each side to bring it to the proper position, should it be pressed to one side. The upper end of the rod I is connected to the free inner end of a lever l, pivoted on the end of the car. The front face of the block is provided with a vertical series of recesses 50, located between the top and bottom of the draw-head and the partitions therein, and said recesses are adapted to receive the inner reduced end of the link, so that said link may be centered and adjusted within the chamber.

By operating the shaft F the plate D is elevated with the pin until the rear flange of the pin-block is engaged by the upper portion of the catchframe,this latter being moved beneath the said flange by the coiled spring y on the lower horizontal rod of the catchframe. Such movement of the catch-frame also projects the buffer carried by the same, so that when the draw-head of the other car contacts with said buffer the frame will be disengaged from the pin-block and allow said block and pin to drop by gravity, so that the latter will pass through the link. The weight of the plate D is such that it will always fall when permitted, leaving the pin-block in an elevated and engaged position.

A spring y is located on the lower horizon tal rod of the catch-frame to normally hold the catch-frame in a position to engage the pinblock and be moved when the shoulder contacts with the front portion of the frame.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a car-coupling, of a head having vertical guides located on the upper side of the same and having front and rear guideways, a block carrying a pin and moving in the rear guideway, a plate carry- 1 ing a shoulder and moving in the front guideway to engage said pin-block, and a vibrating catch -frame carrying a contact-buffer and having a forwardly-extending portion which provides a rest for said shoulder when elevated, the forward movement of the buffer: disengaging the front block, permitting said plate to descend, and leaving the pin in an elevated position, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a car-coupling, of the lever pivoted on the end of the car and provided with a rod playing vertically through the coupling-head, a block within said coupling-head and secured to said rod,springs embracing said rod and secured as described, the block having recesses in its front, together with a coupling-link having a reduced end to engage said recesses, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a car-coupling, of the draw-head and pin, horizontal partitions arranged in said draw-head, together with a link having an open portion, and a horizontal extension perforated for the passage of the pin and reduced at its extremity, together with parallel lugs arranged on the under side thereof, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a draw-head having the guides upon its upper side, of the block playing in the guide and carryinga pin, together with a plate engaging said block, a vibrating catch-frame to lock the block when elevated, together with a shaft bearing on the end of the car and having a segment and a chain secured to said segment and to the pin projecting from the movable frame, and a buffer connected with the catch-frame to operate the same, substantially as described.

5. The combination, in a car-coupling, with the draw-head having the vertical guides upon its upper side, of the movable block carrying the pin and the movable plate for elevating the block, together with means for elevating the plate, a vibrating catch-frame operated by the plate and having a depending portion having a horizontal arm playing in'loops 0n the draw-head, and a spring seated between one of the loops and a fixed portion of the frame, together with a buffer on the forward portion of the horizontal arm, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\ EDWARD D. VAGNIER.

Witnesses:

M. A. DOUGHERTY, J NO. J. OROsBIE. 

